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Fedcap Events

Veterans Day Parade 2016

New York City hosted its 97th annual Veterans Day Parade on November 11. Over 40,000 people participated in the event, including a sizeable contingent of board members, staff and leadership from Easterseals and the entire Fedcap family of agencies. Easterseals board members Scott Pollack, Scott Modlin and Jim Kroll marched in the parade as did Fedcap COO Joe Giannetto.

“On behalf of Fedcap, I am proud to participate in this great event honoring our nation’s service men and women,” Joe said. “The presence of so many of our board and staff here today is a powerful testament to the depth of our commitment as an agency to helping our nation’s veterans.”

Thousands of veterans from at least 30 states were greeted with cheers and applause from onlookers as the parade made its way from Madison Square Park, down Fifth Avenue to 53rd St. The parade – the nation’s largest celebration of military service - paid special honors to veterans who served as first responders at Ground Zero during the 9/11 attacks. A single grand marshal usually leads the parade - this year three grand marshals led the parade, all of whom were 9/11 first responders prior to serving their country overseas.

An especially moving moment occurred at 11 a.m. in Madison Square Park, when veterans laid wreaths under the Eternal Light Flagstaff, which honors those who have served.

“We are proud to march with our fellow veterans, as well as with those who support them on the other 364 days of the year,” said Kim Elvin, Director of Veteran Services for Easterseals New York and a U.S. Navy veteran.

Easterseals New York Veterans programs include Vets2Jobs program in Syracuse, which provides unemployed or underemployed veterans a wide range of work readiness training and job placement services. Through our Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program veterans in New York City and Syracuse receive skills assessment, career counseling, and other support services. Our Homeless Female Veterans/Veterans with Families Reintegration Program works individually with women veterans and provides directs services or connects them to available supports. Male veterans with children are also eligible for services through this program. The proceeds from a donated Red Mango store on Long Island are used to support Easterseals New York veteran’s programs. The store also houses our Veteran entrepreneur training program, which offer hands-on training to dozens of veterans in all aspects of how to run a business